The Miracle of Stall Mats

What a peculiar winter we've having in southeast Michigan.  Everything's all wacky.
So, it's a little weird to have had a mud problem in December.  Snow, ice, sure, but mud?
I believe I've complained to you somewhat recently that I was not particularly enjoying constantly trodding through the inches of mud in front of the barn.

And then we had a pre-Christmas miracle.  Stall mats!

There were several discussions surrounding the thorny issue of mud.  A few suggestions were thrown on the table but did not get the necessary votes.  And finally it was decided, as yet another of our "experiments". Rick scooped out some of the muck in front and then "installed" two stall mats.

Oh my, it's the best thing we could have done.

Here's the view during the mudfest.

  

Since then we've gotten just a wee bit of snow and ice; this is a more recent view with Sweet Pea demonstrating the ease of walkability. 

It's a snap to keep them clear of snow; although we get a bit of water seepage from underneath, thus far it hasn't been problematic; the donkeys like the flat sure footing they provide and man-oh-man, I am loving them.